Lithium-ion battery research company, CalBattery, has announced a huge breakthrough in energy density that could in a few years give a 300% jump in battery energy density, that could triple electric car driving range.

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Energy density is the key measure of electric car batteries to determine driving range and ultimately the usefulness of the vehicle. It was the energy density improvements of lithium-ion batteries that enabled the resurgence of electric cars. But the current crop of lithium ion batteries do not allow for enough energy storage, and driving range, at a low enough cost, to get past the "too expensive" sniff test that is hindering electric car adoption today. A new lithium-ion battery designed by CalBattery, with a silicon-graphene anode, promises a dramatic energy density breakthrough, according to a news release issued by the company on Friday.

The company is a finalist in the Dept of Energy's 2012 Start UP America's Next Top Energy Innovator challenge. Independent test results using full-cell lithium-ion battery cells designed by CalBattery demonstrate an energy density of 525 watt-hours per kilogram, and a specific anode capacity of 1,250 mili-amp-hours per gram. Most commercial batteries have an energy density in the 100-180 watt-hours per kilogram range, and specific anode capacity in the 325 mili-amp-hours per gram range.

For those who don't understand battery capacity measurements, this means that per kilogram of battery weight a battery pack made with CalBattery cells will store 300% more energy than current batteries.

For the same battery pack weight this means the ability to drive 300% as far as with current electric cars, or to have the same driving range as today the battery pack would be about 1/3rd the weight.

"This equates to more than a 300% improvement in lithium-ion battery capacity, and an estimated 70% reduction in lifetime cost for batteries used in consumer electronics, EVs, and grid-scale energy storage," said CalBattery CEO Phil Roberts.

This is based on what the company has dubbed the "GEN3" silicon-graphene composite anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The key to the GEN3 design is use of a breakthrough developed at Argonne National Labs that stabilizes the use of silicon in a lithium battery anode. Silicon is known to absorb lithium better than any other anode material, it quickly deteriorates during use. CalBattery has worked closely with researchers at Argonne and other facilities to develop the new anode material, to integrate it in lithium-ion batteries having multiple cathode and electrolyte materials.

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Now this could break the electric car into the market without the government.

Theirs is not the only battery energy density breakthrough in the works.

In February, Envia Systems announced a cathode material breakthrough that should double the energy density at 1/4 the cost of current battery technology. In August, GM's CEO Dan Akerson talked about research between GM and Envia Systems developing battery technology which should allow GM to build 200 mile range affordable electric cars in the next two-to-four years. Earlier this year PolyPlus was named Edison Awards finalist on lithium batteries for 500+ mile electric cars. In July, a report from McKinsey and Company predicted that falling electric car prices, driven in part by battery technology improvements, would make electric cars inevitable by 2020-2025.

At present, the only thing holding back the EV is battery cost and range. Either of these developments, if they can mass manufacture them, would solve that problem. An example of just how critical this is, the Calbattery would make the Ford C-Max Enegi have an electric range of 60 miles, before one had to kick in the gas powered hybrid drive. That means for almost all drivers, that only when they were taking trips would they have to use gasoline.

The combination of a much less expensive battery and much cheaper, lighter solar panels would make the average homeowner far less dependent on the power and petroleum companies.

At present, the only thing holding back the EV is battery cost and range. Either of these developments, if they can mass manufacture them, would solve that problem. An example of just how critical this is, the Calbattery would make the Ford C-Max Enegi have an electric range of 60 miles, before one had to kick in the gas powered hybrid drive. That means for almost all drivers, that only when they were taking trips would they have to use gasoline.

The combination of a much less expensive battery and much cheaper, lighter solar panels would make the average homeowner far less dependent on the power and petroleum companies.

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"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Ransom Olds, 1899

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Henry Ford, 1912

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Ferdinand Porsche, 1930

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Preston Tucker, 1948

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Ralph Nader, 1966

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Soichiro Honda, 1976

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
John DeLorean, 1982

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Toyota Motor Corporation, 1998

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Nissan Motor Company, 2005

"The only thing holding back the electric vehicle is battery cost and range."
Tesla Motors, 2010

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